Author: Olivia Whatley, CAC AmeriCorps Member at Sevier Solid Waste (21-22) My time serving with AmeriCorps at Sevier Solid Waste (SSWI) emphasized to me the importance of the little steps that it takes to make something big happen. Some days it was easy for me to forget the point of putting a “Keep it Out” … Continue reading Small Actions, Big Effects

Article Author: Lane Mochow, CAC AmeriCorps VISTA Member (21-22) I have spent the past couple of days visiting sites around Knoxville to see the daily lives of my fellow AmeriCorps and photographing my experience. It has been beautiful being up close and personal with my new friends’ service experiences. The first site I went to … Continue reading Glimpsing the AmeriCorps Experience

By Michaela Barnett, Alum 2017-2018, Founder of KnoxFill In early 2017, I was feeling adrift. After quitting a job in the service industry, I craved purpose and connection. Readers of this blog won’t be surprised at what happened next to fill those two yearnings – I found an AmeriCorps posting on a jobseeker’s website.  It … Continue reading KnoxFill – An Alum Story

Article Author: Christine Doka, CAC AmeriCorps Staff; Alum 2015-2018 One of the roles of CAC AmeriCorps staff is to conduct at least 2 yearly site visits for all of our members. While the idea of a “site visit” from program staff might seem intimidating, the true purpose of these is to check on regulatory requirements … Continue reading A Day in Cherokee National Forest

Article Author: Christine Doka, CAC AmeriCorps Staff; Alum 2015-2018 A year of service through CAC AmeriCorps can look different from person to person. Depending on your service site, you could be engaging in anything from hiking to remove invasive plant species, performing environmental education, or building capacity through the office or organization you are serving … Continue reading Chasing Conservation through ConServe Knoxville

Article Author: Mariah Lowry, CAC AmeriCorps Member 2018-2019 Ever heard of the Biophilia Hypothesis?  The theory was initially proposed by biologist Edward Wilson and suggests that human beings possess an innate desire to form connections with nature and other forms of life and this connection, in turn, promotes healthier lifestyles.  A quick internet search inquiring … Continue reading The Challenge of Encouraging Environmental Awareness and Design

Article Author: Megan Geer, serving at Ijams Nature Center (2018-2019) What made you decide to join AmeriCorps? Was it what you thought it would be? When I decided to join AmeriCorps it was very much an opportunity to boost my resume with actual work experience in a field that I had no experience in. It … Continue reading Self-Discovery through AmeriCorps Service

Article Authors: Christine Doka & Randall Eaker (CAC AmeriCorps 2018-2019) The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has been a cornerstone in East Tennessee since the 1930s. The TVA Act, which created TVA, was part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal to help residents of East Tennessee recover from the Great Depression through employment, access to electricity, and … Continue reading Behind the Scenes – Randall Eaker

Article Author: Stefanie Perosa, CAC AmeriCorps VISTA member 2017-2018 with introduction by CAC AmeriCorps VISTA Leader, Christine Doka Stefanie Perosa is an AmeriCorps VISTA member serving at UT FUTURE. Hailing all the way from the sunny state of Florida, Stefanie came to the East Tennessee hills to make a difference in the lives’ of others … Continue reading Preparing Students for the Future – Preparing the Future for Them

Recruitment season is in full swing here at the CAC AmeriCorps office! From the time we begin recruitment to the time we fill all the positions in our corps, our office can go through close to 300 applications. With that many applicants, the positions can be quite competitive. We all want each of our applicants … Continue reading 5 Things to Consider When Applying to CAC AmeriCorps

Article Author:  Michaela Barnett, CAC AmeriCorps VISTA Member 2017-2018 I spent some time this morning googling variations of “how to write an impact narrative.” It should be a simple task: list the work I have undertaken since arriving at my site and extrapolate on the impact of said work. I was told that I could … Continue reading Tenacity: A Narrative of Invisible Work

Article Author:  Deidra Rogers, CAC AmeriCorps VISTA Member 2017-2018 Since the start of my AmeriCorps VISTA journey, I have had an eager heart to serve and be of service to those who are in need.  What better way to do this than by assisting with making a difference in the life of a community helping … Continue reading Small Access with Huge Impacts

Article Author:  Christine Doka, CAC AmeriCorps Member & VISTA Leader 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 in collaboration with Nicole Fernandez, CAC AmeriCorps VISTA member 2017-2018. For over twenty years, CAC AmeriCorps has recruited groups of people to spend a year of their life in service to East Tennessee. In the past, CAC has hosted a robust … Continue reading Bridging Together Passion and Purpose